Sex After a Heart Attack: Women Want Information
By Rachael Rettner, Senior Writer | July 24, 2013 04:00pm ET
Many women who've had heart attacks want more information about how to safely resume sex afterward, a new study suggests.
Researchers conducted detailed interviews with female heart attack patients and found that many held fears about engaging in sex after a heart attack, and wondered whether their hearts could handle the exertion.
Some said their partners were concerned that sex would trigger another heart attack. "I had to convince my husband that I wasn’t going to die in bed," one woman was quoted as saying.
Despite these fears, most women said they started having sex again about four weeks after their heart attack. Often, women said they engaged in sex because they wanted to return to a "normal" life.
"You don’t always want to be the lady that had the heart attack," one woman in the study said.
However, most women said their doctor did not give them any advice about resuming sex after their heart attack. Those who did speak with their doctors reported that they initiated the conversation themselves, and that the doctor did not provide a very satisfactory answer.
"Cardiologists, in the very immediate, are trying to save lives," said study researcher Emily Abramsohn, a public health researcher at the University of Chicago. "What they're concerned about is patients' hearts," Abramsohn said. But the study shows "women want to be treated as a whole person."
Cardiologists can ease concerns by speaking openly with patients about sex after a heart attack, Abramsohn said. Women who have these concerns should know that they are not alone in feeling this way, and "it's OK to ask," for more information from your doctor, Abramsohn said.
Although nearly three-quarters of men, and close to half of women reported being sexually active before their heart attack, only about 47 percent of men and 35 percent of women say that they received counseling about when they could resume sex, according to prior research.
Some doctors may not think to discuss sex with older patients — the average age of women in the study was 60 — but studies show that older men and women value their sexual life, Abramsohn said.
The American Heart Association says that sex is probably safe for patients after a heart attack as long as they are in stable condition, and have no complications. Those who are unstable or who have severe symptoms should be treated and stabilized before having sex. Heart attacks rarely occur during sex because sexual activity is usually relatively short in duration, AHA says.
Patients who receive nitrate therapy for chest pain due to coronary artery disease should not use erectile dysfunction drugs, the AHA says.
The study was small, and it's possible that those who agreed to take part had views that were not reflective of the majority of women (for instance, they were especially concerned about sex after their heart attack).
The study is published today (July 24) in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Follow Rachael Rettner @RachaelRettner. Follow LiveScience @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on LiveScience.com.
Researchers conducted detailed interviews with female heart attack patients and found that many held fears about engaging in sex after a heart attack, and wondered whether their hearts could handle the exertion.
Some said their partners were concerned that sex would trigger another heart attack. "I had to convince my husband that I wasn’t going to die in bed," one woman was quoted as saying.
Despite these fears, most women said they started having sex again about four weeks after their heart attack. Often, women said they engaged in sex because they wanted to return to a "normal" life.
"You don’t always want to be the lady that had the heart attack," one woman in the study said.
However, most women said their doctor did not give them any advice about resuming sex after their heart attack. Those who did speak with their doctors reported that they initiated the conversation themselves, and that the doctor did not provide a very satisfactory answer.
"Cardiologists, in the very immediate, are trying to save lives," said study researcher Emily Abramsohn, a public health researcher at the University of Chicago. "What they're concerned about is patients' hearts," Abramsohn said. But the study shows "women want to be treated as a whole person."
Cardiologists can ease concerns by speaking openly with patients about sex after a heart attack, Abramsohn said. Women who have these concerns should know that they are not alone in feeling this way, and "it's OK to ask," for more information from your doctor, Abramsohn said.
Although nearly three-quarters of men, and close to half of women reported being sexually active before their heart attack, only about 47 percent of men and 35 percent of women say that they received counseling about when they could resume sex, according to prior research.
Some doctors may not think to discuss sex with older patients — the average age of women in the study was 60 — but studies show that older men and women value their sexual life, Abramsohn said.
The American Heart Association says that sex is probably safe for patients after a heart attack as long as they are in stable condition, and have no complications. Those who are unstable or who have severe symptoms should be treated and stabilized before having sex. Heart attacks rarely occur during sex because sexual activity is usually relatively short in duration, AHA says.
Patients who receive nitrate therapy for chest pain due to coronary artery disease should not use erectile dysfunction drugs, the AHA says.
The study was small, and it's possible that those who agreed to take part had views that were not reflective of the majority of women (for instance, they were especially concerned about sex after their heart attack).
The study is published today (July 24) in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Follow Rachael Rettner @RachaelRettner. Follow LiveScience @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on LiveScience.com.
You've had a heart attack, and suddenly your outlook on sex is very different. You used to relish intimacy and pleasure with your partner. But now it seems like a scary proposition. Could sex trigger another heart attack? Will your sex life ever be the same? Portland cardiologist James Beckerman, MD, answers the most common questions about how sex and heart health are connected.
Q. What worries heart patients when it comes to sex?
A. After a heart attack, some men and women fear that any type of sexual activity will provoke another one. People feel that if they've had a heart attack, it's not a good idea to stress their bodies with sexual activity. But fewer than 1% of heart attacks come from having sex. It makes sense to think of sex as a form of exercise: If your doctor clears you for physical activity, you're also likely safe for sex.
Q. Do you find patients are embarrassed to ask a doctor about sexual concerns?
A. Yes, and I think doctors are too. But sexual issues are important to discuss. Doctors have to read their patients well. You have to get a sense of their comfort level with you and how willing they are to talk about personal issues. I think when the doctor does bring it up, it shows it's OK to talk about sex. Sometimes the patient is surprised -- or even relieved -- that the doctor raises the subject because it means they don't have to.
Q. Do cardiac rehabilitation programs address sex?
A. They may do that indirectly. When heart patients worry about sexual function, a lot of their concerns are related to confidence and fear. After a heart attack, they feel that if they try to go for a run, they'll drop dead. Cardiac rehab, through structure and supervised exercise programs, teaches people that it's OK for them to exercise, OK for them to exert themselves and get back in the game. I think once they have that confidence, they can go out and use it, whether it's on the treadmill or in the bedroom.
Q. What are some of the warning signs to stop sex right away?
A. Similar to any type of exercise, if you begin to feel symptoms such as chest pain, abnormal shortness of breath, fatigue, dizziness, or palpitations, it definitely makes sense to slow down what you're doing, whether you're a man or a woman. If you're pretty certain it's angina, which is temporary pain or pressure in the chest when the heart doesn't get enough oxygen, it might help to take your nitroglycerin.
The exception to that advice is for men who use medication for erectile dysfunction -- it's dangerous to take nitroglycerin, too. Your blood pressure can fall to dangerously low levels, and there's an increased risk of heart attack and even death. If you're on an erectile dysfunction drug and have heart-related symptoms during sex, call your doctor.
Q. Do some men and women lose sexual interest after being diagnosed with heart disease?
A. Yes, and it's often related to the emotions that follow a diagnosis of heart disease. It influences people's lives in many different ways, and sexual activity is one of them. A new diagnosis of heart disease -- or even a surgical scar -- can make people feel less attractive. Some drugs have side effects that diminish sexual interest and performance. When patients feel angry and frustrated, it affects not only their sex lives but also their "couple" relationships.
For many people, heart disease is the first significant diagnosis they ever have. Think of individuals in their 40s or 50s who have a sudden heart attack; they didn't know they had this disease process going on, and now they do. That realization of mortality and potential limits and imperfections is really hard to take. Many people with heart disease feel that shift so abruptly. They question themselves and what they're capable of doing. And that's part of the reason there are anxieties and concerns about sexual activity. We know depression is extremely common after a heart attack, especially for women.
Q. Sex is obviously part of an overall healthy life -- and it's also a sign of a healthy heart, right?
A. Yes. It shows that you're capable of doing physical activity in which your heart rate and blood pressure go up. In a sense, you're doing a stress test on your heart. If you tolerate that well and you feel good doing it, it suggests good things about your overall level of fitness and therefore your risk of heart disease.
Sex can also be a sign of healthy relationships and social supports. It shows you have the opportunities, frankly, and that you're interested and engaged. I think sex is a barometer for overall health.
